


expectations.

by neonflares



Series: domestic adjustments. [1]
Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Arson, Ballet, Career Change, Character Study, Domestic Fluff, Empathy, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Nonbinary Lio Fotia, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Reflection, headcanon heavy, missing the promare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25387078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neonflares/pseuds/neonflares
Summary: They did a kickass enough job being their boss, why would they stop now? ...Are they being stupid for trying so hard to go against what makes sense for them? No. Now that there’s no reason to fight, they shouldn’t waste their time doing what has to be done. All they ever did was what had to be done. They had to form a settlement. They had to burn. They had to keep his people safe. They had to scavenge for dry, non-perishable food, but… some habits die a lot harder than others.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Series: domestic adjustments. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1921312
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> heyy! tysm in advance for reading i haven’t written a fic in… forever but i just love this movie so god damn much god the quarantine hyperfixation is HARD with this one ;_;
> 
> to prevent confusion, i headcanon lio as a dmab non-binary dude that uses he and they pronouns! i tried to keep it as clear as possible when it’s them, but sorry in advance if that gets lost;; i… think that’s all i really need to say? aside from the fact that this is just a post-movie character study with details i hella wish were touched on in the movie but the thrill ride was too damn fast. OH and i’ve watched the dub way more than the sub so that’s where most of the voice is coming from for me. i hope you guys like it! <3

Lio is a lot of things, but ‘quitter’ is never a word they would use to describe themself. They’ve always been a hard worker, and that only carried further while rebuilding Promepolis. To realize that they don’t have as much strength or heat resistance or stamina as they did without the Promare is… **difficult** to get used to to put it lightly. Being without that voice to guide them leaves Lio’s heart a mixed bag. They put on a strong, steady face, but…

“Hey, Lio!” That idiot slams his hand on their shoulder. “Somethin’ up?” Every time Galo has the gall to ask it leaves everyone in ear shot stunned. Lio’s face is in a constant state of near illegibility with the exception of talking about things they’re passionate about… And they’re definitely not doing that right now. Not when they’ve lost sight of what that means. “...I’m fine.” Old habits die hard, fear that expressing feelings will only get people hurt. He’ll lose control, and…

...After so many days, it’s still hard to believe his guide has gone radio silent. The firefighter gives them an annoyed pout when they freeze, too aware that they are without a doubt full of shit. “Help me up.” Galo grumbles at the instruction before obediently putting Lio on his shoulders. He doesn’t want to talk about it. He _never_ wants to talk about it. But that doesn’t mean Galo is just going to leave him to mope. “Ignis said he’d be willing to give you and your buddies a spot on the team.”

There’s a long pause. A good, long pause as Lio drills screws into the scaffolding. It’s hard to believe that such a path would feel right after all they’ve done. Even though the war between firefighters and the Burnish is all but over. It _hurts_ to hear the flames cry when they’re frozen. Even if Burning Rescue never chased them down, the flames _never_ want to stop. They were a necessary evil, Lio is well aware, but it didn’t make the balancing act any easier to accept.

The flames aren’t here. He’d become so devout to them, he wholly relied on them whenever he was lost as a guide. If not, they were a source of comfort. The silence is… demoralizing. “Not interested,” is the answer they ultimately come to. “Then what’re you gonna do when we’re done?”

Are they really so obvious? The way Galo effortlessly echoes what they’re thinking leaves them a mix between frustrated and genuinely impressed. It’s not like the question was that ridiculous; Lio always has a plan. Even when they don’t, it doesn’t take them long to adapt and figure something out. They don’t want to admit to being near completely lost. “Start something new with Meis and Gueira.” The answer they give is intentionally vague, not wanting to admit that for once in their life they have absolutely no fucking clue. Lio was always confident in the strategy of combining the practical with their blazing heart, but that blazing heart hasn't had any giggles of encouragement to pass on one way or another. "I don't know" is impossible for them to openly admit.

There’s barely a hum heard as the dial-up noises go off in Galo's head as he attempts to figure that part out, and the result is talking way too far out of turn. "Y'know finding out your flames were like parasites is already pretty tough. There's nothin' wrong with--" Lio crushes Galo's head between their thighs, infuriated and forcing him to stop that train of thought that has already gone off the rails. "Stop acting like you have any idea what's going through my head, Galo Thymos." The ex-Burnish takes his time on deciding that Galo learned his lesson. He's right on the money, but that doesn't mean Lio has to talk about it.

Their eyes shift as they tug Galo’s hair in a certain direction showing he needs to go right. While the taller man picks up on the nonverbal cue, he doesn’t move yet. “Yyyyou ever thought about staying with me?” The question totally throws Lio off, so much so that he’s positive if Galo wasn’t holding onto his shins he would’ve fallen by now.

“Why the hell would I do that?”

“‘Caaaause you had a lotta fun fightin’ with me?”

( _And he'd love to be Lio's guide back into what would be considered 'normal', but Galo is keeping his mouth shut. This time._ ) The smile Galo gives Lio while looking up at him is cheeky in every sense of the word. They almost want to punch it off of his stupid fucking face that’s so fucking stupid. But they remain merciful. At least for now. That persistence is even… cute. At least in some sense of the word. It’s beyond them how they even see it in such a way. Lio rolls their eyes and pats the comically large (and surprisingly soft) bundle of blue spikes. “I’ll think about it.”

The firefighter decides he’ll take that answer for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't plan on making this TOO long because i'm... bad at keeping up with stuff. but we'll see i've told bigger lies to myself before. this'll be a lil sad :pensive: i'll probably post the second chapter some time later today or tomorrow


	2. Chapter 2

It took months to rebuild everything to at least be livable. There wasn’t really an apartment _to_ agree to move into until a few weeks ago. While the time spent with Meis and Gueira was fun and distracting, the two of them already managed to find a path. That idea that some day the Burnish would lead a normal life left them dreaming time and time again of what they’d do. Business partners, albeit calling the conservationist group they started a _business_ sounds like a bit of an insult in the back of their mind.

Lio spent long nights up late attempting to contribute, being stuck on the business side of things. Having to write up proposals and presentations trying to convince people to do their part is the absolute worst side of things. So boring, not to mention the undoubted cacophony of protests saying “ _It’s the Burnish’s fault, they should be the ones doing all the heavy lifting._ ” Honestly, he’s grateful he’s not the one _actually_ giving the presentations because he’d have a hard time resisting throwing hands. They’re uninspired, and that fact is glaringly obvious in their slides. Lio was more interested in the animals, but it’s not like they can be preserved without a good habitat. They just shoot another draft over to Meis, coming back with another fair bit of constructive criticism. Every time Meis would offer that sound mind in the settlement, it was a vital stepping stone. But with this kind of work, it’s only emphasizing their headache. 

After getting a cup of lukewarm tap water in a mug and returning to their laptop, Lio pauses at Gueira’s suggestion. Just lead the whole non-profit. They did a kickass enough job being their boss, why would they stop now? ...Are they being stupid for trying so hard to go against what makes sense for them? No. Now that there’s no reason to fight, they shouldn’t waste their time doing what has to be done. All they ever **_did_ ** was what **_had_ ** to be done. They had to form a settlement. They had to burn. They had to keep his people safe. They had to scavenge for dry, non-perishable food, but… some habits die a lot harder than others.

Speaking of which, as Lio sat back in their chair staring at the ceiling they heard the familiar **thunk** of the door opening. Galo’s home. They have to get up and say “ _Welcome home_ ”... That little reminder that goes off in their head suddenly makes it click how boring and domestic his life has already become after the Promare left. “Helloooo-ooooo? Anybody home?” The idiot yells, first checking if Lio was brooding in the coat closet again. Then to see if their instincts lead them to napping under the couch again.

A long sigh of annoyance as Lio belatedly decides to get out of their cheap plastic chair. The bedroom is a bit of a sad office, but with this cramped apartment it’s not like they have a lot of options. They compose themself before opening the door, “H--”

“Lio!” Galo is quick to pick Lio up and scoop them into a hug, laughing and spinning them around and squeezing the life out of them as they attempt to kick out of his grasp. _“Put me down, you idiot. I can’t breathe.”_ Why the hell is he crying?! There’s a smile on his face, and they get tears of joy, but… it’s not like they were in any danger. Still, Galo concedes and puts Lio back to stand on their own two feet. He gives a laugh to shrug the minor anxieties off of his shoulders, and they quirk their eyebrow up at him. 

The former Burnish makes the wrong connection, sighing with a half-hearted smile “I missed you too.” Lio wraps their arms around Galo’s neck before pulling him down for a kiss. They pull themself up and giggle into a few more kisses, sweet and chaste, Galo keeping them close in his arms. 

“Alright, alright. You didn’t melt anything on the stove this time, I’ll make you something.” He jokingly throws his boyfriend on the couch before getting to work in the kitchen. The laugh Lio returns is as soft as their complexion, sitting up and turning around to watch him cook. They don’t stay too relaxed. If he tries to sneak in any vegetables again with that lie called ‘cauliflower mac and cheese’, they _will_ kill him. “Oh, so _that’s_ how I get you to order out.”

“Hey, you have _plenty_ of time to cook before I get home, Lio!” Of course, they both know Lio loves his cooking too much to bother.

“And why would I do that when I have a perfectly good chef right here?” And the last time Lio tried to learn how to cook, the entire kitchen was coated in a thin layer of beer. They start to get back up before they realize their limbs feel completely hollow. Were they always this starving? Well… they _have_ been working all day without a break. They let out a raspy breath of air, waving in the air for Galo to throw something in their mouth.

The longer he ignores Lio, the louder they get over time. “Hmm… Maybe I’ll just eat it all by myself! How about that?” They get the hint, but Lio doesn’t stop before punctuating their woes by grumbling and hissing at Galo. With a flourish they drape an arm and a leg over the back of the couch. 

“But really, did something happen today, firebug?” Lio thought they’ve been getting better at hiding their feelings, but Galo never fails to keep up with that skill. The former boss sighs quietly, shaking their head instead of dignifying him with a response. “Food first. Gotcha.” He could snap his neck.

When it’s finally time to eat, Lio is entirely too ravenous. It’s the same way every time, talking non-stop about whatever until the food is plated and he’s just dead silent. Galo still makes efforts to keep the conversation going with his mouth full, but eating habits are too deeply rooted to show any progress in changing them. Food was scarce, so every time they would get the chance he had to be quick about it. No time to enjoy or socialize, it was a necessity and never a joy. It makes it easier to experiment, regardless of how good or bad he thinks it is he’ll still polish it off. Some things with more regret than others. On occasion, Galo would make it competitive, but only when he didn’t slave over a stove prior. Those nights made it easier.

“Galo,” they never talk over dinner, much less with their mouth full. It genuinely catches him by surprise, stopping in his tracks before he gets up to refill his plate. “What made you realize you wanted to be a firefighter?” Galo gives him a wide-eyed stare for a minute, shocked that he even _wants_ to know in the first place. Well… there’s no way Lio _actually_ wants to know, but the last time he tried to sugarcoat for him it didn’t end well. He not-so-discreetly wipes the food stuffs that flung out of Lio's mouth off the table with a paper towel.

“Well, I kinda always wanted to be? Ever since I was a kid...” Galo finds himself contemplating too, getting lost before the story even takes off. He wanted to be a firefighter because he knew he could never be _just_ like Kray, but he wanted to save people like he saved him. While Galo learned that much of his life was a lie, he always found a way to put it aside. That doesn’t stop Lio from worrying when he looks off. He has a Ph.D in making conversations as depressing as possible, and he’d only hope he didn’t transfer any of that sad energy over to him.

But Galo finds his way back, and what he can only _hope_ is a positive spin in Lio’s eyes. “I wanted to be a hero like _he who shall not be named_ , but now I _know_ he’s wrong? Firefighting and rescue’s just what I do!” Shouted with the boisterous confidence of someone that knows what he’s talking about, grinning and pointing his thumb up to himself in pride. The rebel stares in disbelief. That was the most useless answer he could’ve gotten. Lio buries his face in his hands, dragging his fingers down as he lets out a groan of frustration.

“What?! I remembered not to say Kray this time!” And a lot of good that did.

Lio finishes their food and leaves themself resigned, grumbling about how embarrassed they should be for honestly thinking this dumbass could give them any helpful advice. But… it’s at least given them an idea for something worth trying. “Forget about it. Work is just a pain in the ass.”

Galo manages to regale them with a story regarding a particularly indignant damsel that needed saving from a house fire today. All of their stress melts away, smiling and laughing at how much life seems to exude from every speech he gives. Maybe he should be the one making all these slides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so fucking sorry i'm still kind of figuring out how to write galo, buuut i wanted to have some fun with some domestic stuff! and... give lio a bit more of a push to actually try new things;; i hope you enjoyed this one! to save my ass i might make the next one the last one but i'm not 100% sure :thinking: god this chapter ended up getting kinda long though i'm so sorry
> 
> next one is going to touch on lio's childhood a lot and hopefully explain why as a burnish he was so strong and so passionate about them???? idk if i'll be communicating that very well once again we will see


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning that there are mentions of burnt hands/self harm in this one but it doesn't have any details! if you wanna steer clear of that regardless, skip the paragraph after "It's just not possible, but at times he does feel so, so lost without them." it's safe again at "Regardless, Galo got rid of the gas stove." thanks, and i hope you enjoy this abridged dump of childhood hcs

Detroit was an odd place to grow up. Lio’s parents knew about his potential long before he started burning, both being Burnish crime bosses in their own right it’d be no surprise if their child would follow in their footsteps. But neither would give them the misfortune that they had. A life shrouded in fear, just knowing one day they’d start burning and have to run away. Change their names. Move to another city. 

They stayed locked away in the Fotia mansion their entire life. There was no telling how strong Lio would be, or how furious he would become when his parents were frozen and shattered by his enemies. Their first experience in the world outside their home was forced upon them when they accidentally burned their childhood home to the ground. All those memories were lost, and they had no choice but to run. And keep running, long after Detroit was nothing more than ash and a name in people’s memory.

They wore the name as a reminder that they could **never** let themself get that emotional again.

They wore their mother’s shirt that she had sewn for them so long ago, so she could still live on.

They kept a level head, knowing that their father’s first rule was to focus on survival. 

And their tutor? How she was remembered?

A harsh _thud_ on the floor as Lio had been working tirelessly all day since Galo left to learn the one move he could never get down. His tutor lived on in his fighting style. As a child, while he was a savant in engineering and mechanics, his love was in ballet and gymnastics. Finding a way to marry that with his fighting style helped running away become that much more bearable. It was almost fun. Something he didn’t realize he missed, but practicing in pajamas with socks instead of ballet shoes was hardly ideal. Lio threw one of the throw pillows at the wall in frustration and gasped at the clunky shattering of the potted plant in that corner. It was huge. The first thing they bought together, and… damn. 

They cup their hands over their mouth. Is there still time to save-- no, roots and stems are far too damaged. He thought he’d be weaker without the Promare, but that’s proven to be a flat out lie during these failed attempts at normalcy. Lio instinctively went for finding a match to cauterize the cuts; the plant was practically a son to both of them at this point… **_No._ ** No. Don’t be stupid. They know it’ll make things worse.

While Lio has been practicing ballet for weeks alone while Galo was at work, he always made efforts to make sure he never found out. There’s always been a fear that’s properly devoured him into thinking there’s something… **_terrifying_ ** about Galo knowing too much about him. There are so many questions about his past that he’s dodged with relative ease. Allowing him to take that first step, finding out about how much of a monster he really is isn’t an option.

It would all come spilling out and become a slippery slope. He reveled and enjoyed single-handedly pillaging a metropolis, blinded by his fury and rage sparked when he was too scared and weak to defend the people he cared about the most. Lio Fotia would never let that happen again. There was a life before the Promare, but that was never really living. That never-ending spark of rebellion that burned throughout their veins was a result of being so tired with complacency. It was him. The flames weren’t just a part of him. It was who they were.

They never processed the fact that those flames were parasitic.

They never will.

It’s just not possible, but at times he does feel so, _so_ lost without them.

Coming home to a broken plant won’t be the worst thing Galo comes back to. There have been plenty of times where Meis and Gueira trashed the place, followed by a stupid, drunken argument that a one-bedroom apartment is a **perfect** place for paintball. Or, there was the time where Lio set his hands on fire just to feel something again. He hated looking in the mirror and noticing that the small burn marks peppered under their eyes started to fade. The triangles where their tears fell when they burned this horrible city to the ground. The last reminder that the flames are home and happy. As much as it hurt, his faith and adoration for the flames ultimately wins out every time he plays with fire. It can’t hurt. Burning is still a part of who he is.

Regardless, Galo got rid of the gas stove.

Lio is absolutely terrible at cleaning, but he had to make an effort this time. Galo would be home in ten minutes, which gave him plenty of time to get rid of the plant, now resigned to the apartment complex’s compost pile. The door unlocks as he’s laying back and watching TV, catching up with everything they missed out on while they were on the lamb. Galo doesn’t even greet him when he comes in. At least not with his voice. He slumps on top of him and buries his face in Lio’s chest. “...Rough day?” Asked as the blond attempts to smooth his hand through Galo’s spiked locks.

“Uuuuuuuuugh. It was just so _booooooring._ ” Lio’s pursed lips relax into a smile. Days where Galo genuinely has nothing to do are scarce, but every time they happen that just means he’s full of unspent energy. Good. Maybe they can go on a jog and he can say someone _else_ stole the plant when they get back. “You know, most people would say that’s a good thing.”

“'Course it is! But I _haaaaaaaate_ just sitting around! I could save another planet or dig a hole to... to...” God, it’s so cute whenever he can’t find the right words.

“Hellas?”

“Hellas-- What?!”

Lio can’t help but laugh when his boyfriend yet again manages to show off his complete lack of historical knowledge about the country he's from. He wonders if he doesn’t even know that this place used to be called New York City before...everything.

“ _Aaaaaaaa_ nyways... I could, but we gotta get some fuel first! You hungry?”

“I already _ate_ something.” Said with an unearned, dainty, and comical amount of smugness.

“Oho, the master becomes the _chef!_ What'd you make?” And endlessly too excited when Galo’s face turns up to make eye contact, beaming and Lio _swears_ if he had a tail he’d be wagging it by now.

“Pizza.” They push him off as they walk… When Galo watches him, he squints, noticing something different but failing to put his finger on exactly _what._ Lio pulls out an empty box and tosses it at Galo. He catches it, looking down with the only accurate word in the English language to describe his emotions as “empty”.

“...Lunchables don’t count, Lio.”

“They do when you microwave them.” Lio smirks with a graceful turn towards Galo, hand on his hip and honestly trying to resist laughing at how much disgust his boyfriend acknowledges him with. It’s then when the firefighter realizes he’s committed a terrible sin. Lio has been officially living in Promepolis for four months and they _still_ haven’t had pizza. Ignoring the fact that a month was spent between prison and working their ass off with community service.

Galo gives Lio an uncharacteristically serious look, one that honestly has the former Burnish surprised as he walks up to them. He picks them up and starts carrying them out the door… cueing the typical Fotia thrashing technique passed down their family line for generations. “I-- Galo! I’m not wearing shoes!”

“It’s fine! I’ll carry you there and back!” He hoists Lio up and starts ticking their armpits relentlessly. They start laughing, attempting to protest as Galo starts swinging them down. It’s so embarrassing being this sappy out in the hall where anyone can see them… But Galo has been easing them into caring just a little less every time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahaha...... remember when i said i was gonna end it here? i continue to tell lies and do crimes. sorry that not a lot happened in this one, i kinda got lost in the background headcanon sauce since we Literally have Nothing 
> 
> here's hoping i actually mean it when i say i'll wrap it up in the last one ;_;


	4. Chapter 4

Galo was under the impression that eating was something that became more of a joy and less of a necessity over time, Lio seeming to eagerly wait for him to come home every time. Sometimes, they entertained the idea of helping him, but it was with minor, simple things like chopping garlic or onions, grating cheese, mincing tomatoes… Lio realized they enjoyed kneading pasta dough more than they would like to admit.

But eating was just one of a couple of distractions to keep Galo from asking too many questions. “Do you really just wait for me when I’m gone?” Of course not, but I can’t just tell you that. “What was it like in Detroit?” Fine, if you ignore the fact that I was locked up until my own awakening ushered my parents to their death. It grew infuriating, and Galo simply had to become extra aware of the non-verbals.

Eyebrows just barely twitch to show they forgot to drink water all day, socks shoved under the futon to attempt to keep their newfound passion a secret, nose twitching whenever they became genuinely engaged or curious about something, notes being typed up and printed out to stick on the fridge instead of just writing things down… They never seemed to write things down. It’s the one thing Galo desperately wanted to press, but he knew he had been getting on his boyfriend’s nerves this past month or so.

So… he got a little irresponsible. It’s time to defeat the master at their own game.

“What’s that behind your back?” Galo and subtle are two words that will never meet without a negative inbetween.

“Ohhhh, noooothiiiing... Close your eyes.”

This was stupid. This was always stupid. Galo doesn’t give anywhere near as many gifts as Lio does, but every time he does he has to be so damn showy about it. With a groan and a roll of their eyes, they behave and close them with their hands out. The firefighter puts the box in their hands with a kiss, whispering that they can look now while Lio attempts to chase towards another. Opening the box is immediately followed by dropping it.

A tensed jaw is always a dead giveaway that he either did something incredibly right and Lio just didn’t want to admit it, but white-knuckled fists tell the tale of doing something horribly wrong. Right when Galo was starting to think he figured everything out… “How did you know?” Attempting to keep as level a demeanor as ever. “You don’t run the same way you did when we first started workin’ out together, Lio! Aaaand…” Galo whistles while laying back on that already exhausted futon and grabbing the “secret stash” of Tchaikovsky records from underneath, “Remembering the way you walked when we first fought...”

“You don’t have to keep reminding me of how hot you--”

“You walked some kinda way! I couldn’t put my finger on it, but now I know. Just like a, uh, swan.” Of course, that’s just the way Lio always walks. They never saw it as anything special, but now that its been observed and realized that it tells so much without ever speaking… Lio consciously attempts to shift their poise before Galo grabs their hands. “Hey, it’s cute! I like it! Why’d ya think I got you those shoes and those lessons?”

The question prompts Lio to look down at the fallen box, not noticing the paper receipt for two months of lessons with __the__ Promepolis Ballet Company…

“Where did you get the money for this?” I owe you enough as it is...

“I was keeping some aside for you, anyways! C’mon, I’ll help you put ‘em on!”

The support is suffocating. ~~It's almost embarrassing.~~ Galo’s eagerness to throw that much money away for something he might not even succeed at is killing him. Lio sits down, and the taller man willfully slips the shoes on, mindful to be as careful as possible. While he isn’t aware of the intricacies of the art form, he does at least know of the wooden tips commonly found in professional ballet shoes. Faded scars on the knuckles of Lio’s toes tell more than enough tales around that. The prince asked their parents to be fitted when he was but a child. Wholly unnecessary, but he just enjoyed dancing that much.

He never deserved that kindness, and frankly, he still doesn’t. As much as Lio attempts to blink away the tears, it’s hard. They don’t want to get carried away, or have Galo thinking he did something wrong. Feeling the shoes on his feet, properly seeing them transports him back to a simpler time. He needs to cry. He can’t cry. He shouldn’t cry. It feels so horrible weeping without that voice weeping along with him. It’s humiliating. It shows weakness. It says too much by saying nothing. Galo pulls him into a hug, and that’s enough of a reminder that he still isn’t alone. Weeping into his shirt, not sure whether to feel joy or fear, paranoid and anxious.

What else has he figured out?

He’d hugged Galo before, comforting him whenever nightmares would stir him awake in the middle of the night. The times Kray would come up on the news, as Galo hadn’t gotten over such a betrayal. It’s hard to believe that such a bright star could fall so much, but Lio is comfortable in that position as the one who picks him back up.

I guess that’s another way we’re not so different.

Lio dries their tears, visage switching from teary-eyed and sniveling to their usual composure in a snap. Or at least attempting to. They flip their hair in an attempt to regain _some_ dignity, refusing to accept the reality that they’re falling short. “...Thank you, Galo Thymos.” Galo brightens up now that he’s finally received an affirmation that the shoes were the right choice. Not without giving Lio a well-deserved bonk on the head, of course. “You can thank me by opening that airtight mouth of yours! Why’re you so scared of being honest, anyway?”

Of course that idiot noticed all of his attempts to dodge his questions… But, honestly, how could he have missed them? He’d have to be blind to not notice the mental gymnastics Lio constantly went through to avoid discussing his past. There’s a reason it’s shrouded in mystery. They want to trust Galo more, with how much he’s showing his heart throughout all of this time, but “It’s just not that easy for me...” It’s the first time he ever answered a question along those lines without a lick of attitude, and such a sentiment throws the firefighter off. He fully expected to have to get on their case again, but here he is finally making a step.

“Well, whenever you’re ready I’ll be waiting for ya. Told you I’ll always have your back.”

At the beginning of all this, when the smoke first cleared, Lio just couldn’t believe it. But with this sentiment, regardless of how innocent it is, they can see what Galo finally meant.

“Even when you see how out of practice I am?”

“You don’t gotta show me, I already found pieces of Esmeralda’s broken pot.”

“I told you her name was Demi Leavato.”

They stand up, genuinely furious that even after the plant was broken and out of their lives, they still couldn’t agree on a name for the damn thing. This is why they’ll never get a cat. This is also why they'll never get high and watch a bunch of shitty old Disney movies and TV shows ever again.

“And I told you that name was dumb! You don’t know who Demi Lovato even _is!_ ”

“Just because I never watched Camp Rock doesn’t mean I don’t know, Galo Thymos!”

“For the last time, she wasn’t in Wizards of Waverly Place!”

Lio’s hands get this close to grabbing hold on Galo’s neck, feeling the primal urge to strangle him and put his lights out. Up until he notices out of the corner of his eye that Galo already loaded the record player with one of his records… _The Firebird._ Lio sighs at the obvious choice, shaking his head as he turns it on. “Fine, but just for a little bit.”

He completely betrayed the choreography of the original suite, but there’s of course no way Galo would even notice. Nor should anyone even care. There’s no point in considering it art if he can’t do whatever he wants with it… Even if that involves kicking Galo square in the face. One day, he’ll get that fouette down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on god this is FINALLY done!!! kind of bittersweet, i might've dragged out the ending a liiiiiittle too much but it's fucking projecting time, bapey! i might take some time to draw lio in the costume for the firebird bc it is fucking Gorgeous
> 
> ;_; i really hope you guys enjoyed it, i'm really rusty and i've never actually written a fanfic without throwing an oc in there but this fic was super fun to write! i might write up a little epilogue if i get bored, but i am making zero (0) promises. thank you so much for reading!


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